


Purpose for the heart

by atamasco



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Ficlet, Ficlets, Fluff, M/M, Pirate Husbands, pirate husbands being silly and in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-08 23:19:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11656773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atamasco/pseuds/atamasco
Summary: Three silverflint 100% pure fluff ficlets, titled:I. RainbowII. PoodleIII. ToesAll silly and happy because I love these pirates and I want them to be happy and in luv.





	Purpose for the heart

**I. Rainbow**

Dark grey clouds are hanging over Nassau. It’s been raining for days now, with occasional flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder. Every man on the island is soaked through, down to his breeches. The men on the beach have retreated into the tavern and brothel, fleeing from the rain, using it as an excuse to spend some more time in these places.

Flint has spent his day meeting with other captains, discussing prizes, making deals, and doing a lot of tedious but necessary things in general.  

Even when the sun finally breaks through the clouds, the rain still doesn’t stop. Combined with the burning heat it makes everything damp and sticky and Flint hates it.

He sits in a corner of the tavern, busying himself with schemes and schedules, when Silver enters. He walks over to Flint in a hurried pace.

‘Captain,’ he says, an urgent tone in his voice. ‘There is something…outside.’

Flint raises an eyebrow. ‘What is it?’

Silver bites his lip, shakes his head. ‘I don’t know. But it’s…interesting. You have to see it.’

Flint, curious but cautious, follows Silver through the tavern. They halt at the open doors. They stand in the doorframe, just outside the reach of the pouring rain. The overload of water has turned the street in front of them into mud.

‘There,’ Silver says, and looks up at the sky.

Flint follows his gaze. There is nothing in the sky, except for clouds and rain. His vision adjusts itself to the daylight, after having just come out of the relative darkness of the tavern, and then he sees it.

A rainbow, perfectly shaped and brightly coloured, spanning the length of the island.

‘Is that what you mean?’ Flint asks. ‘The rainbow?’

‘Is that what it’s called?’

‘You’ve never seen a fucking rainbow before?’

Silver blinks innocently. ‘No, never. Is it something to be concerned about?’

Flint snorts. ‘Don’t play the idiot in front of me. It isn’t working.’

‘Yeah, I’m just fooling you. Of course I know what a rainbow is,’ Silver says with a nervous smile. He leans back against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest.

Flint smirks. He straightens his back and clasps his hands behind him. ‘Don’t worry, Mister Silver. A rainbow is nothing to be concerned about. It will vanish in a while. Was that all?’

Silver shrugs. ‘Just thought you might like to see something pretty after the long and boring day you’ve had,’ and gives Flint a bright, cheeky smile.

Flint gets the feeling Silver isn’t talking about the rainbow, and he feels a blush creeping up to his cheeks. ‘Thank you. It is a rare sight.’

The rain makes a soft soothing sound as it hits the roof above their heads.

‘What’s your favourite colour?’ Silver asks.

Flint frowns. ‘Beg pardon?’

Silver smiles at him. ‘Just wondering. Because of the rainbow.’

‘Blue, I think.’

Silver snorts, at which Flint glares at him. ‘Very typical for a sea-faring Captain,’ Silver explains his amusement.

Silver is right – it is so very cliché. Flint doesn’t like being typical or cliché. He should have given a more interesting answer. What does he care, even – it’s a stupid question anyway.

‘What’s yours then?’ As he speaks the words Flint feels like he is falling into a trap, taking the bait that Silver has set out in front of him, but it is already too late to take them back.

‘Mine?’ Silver gives him another bright smile. ‘The colour of the blush on your cheeks just now.’

Flint silently curses his pale complexion, because he’s sure that at this moment the blush on his cheeks is only turning brighter.

 

**II. Poodle**

Things are heating up between Flint and Silver. They are in the Captain’s cabin on the Walrus, undressing, touching and kissing. During their flirting and teasing, one of them mentioned something about pet names or swear words.

‘You wouldn’t believe what Madi called me once, when we were arguing,’ Silver says while Flint peppers kisses down his throat.

‘Try me,’ Flint says into Silver’s skin.

‘She called me a “stupid poodle”.’

Flint raises his head and looks at Silver for a moment, confused. ‘A…poodle?’

Judging from the look on Silver’s face, he’s clearly still deeply offended by the insult. ‘She’s not very good at swearing, but when she does she finds some rather creative words.’

Flint’s eyes wander over Silver’s face, and then over his hair. Silver can see the realisation dawn on his face.

‘Oh. _Oh._ I see.’

Flint tries to keep a straight face. He presses his lips together but he can’t stop the corners of his mouth from turning up.

‘Don’t look at me like that,’ Silver warns. ‘I already regret telling you.’

They continue their touching and kissing, but when Flint is on top of Silver, Silver lying on his belly on the bed, Silver can’t hear, but he can _feel_ Flint shaking on top of him – with laughter.

‘Stop thinking about it,’ Silver commands.  

Flint presses the head of his cock into Silver, and Silver moans, but Flint stops there. Silver can feel Flint’s smile on his skin where his lips touch Silver’s shoulder.

‘I’m sorry,’ Flint laughs.

‘Jesus Christ, just fuck me already.’

‘It’s just so fitting.’

‘I will fit something into your mouth if you don’t shut up,’ Silver grunts.

It’s no use. Flint can’t stop laughing. It’s weird for Silver to hear Flint laugh. He doesn’t laugh a lot. Not like this – so bright and genuine, without reserve. Silver can feel the vibrations of Flint’s laughter spreading through his own body.

‘I knew there was a good reason I like Madi,’ Flint mumbles into Silver’s shoulder. He pushes back into Silver, and Silver eagerly cants his hips to meet him.

‘Poodle.’ Flint presses a kiss to Silver’s skin. ‘You’re my pretty poodle.’

‘I want to divorce you,’ Silver groans.

‘We’re not even married.’

‘Then I want to marry you just so I can divorce you right after.’

Flint chuckles. ‘Are you proposing?’

‘You know it’s not possible. It’s illegal for a man to marry a _dog._ ’

‘You’ve never cared about the restrictions of the law before.’

‘The law was invented to protect its citizens and if you keep calling me by that stupid name I will have no other choice but to turn to it.’

‘Because you think the law is going to stop me from calling you –’

‘ _Stop_ it and just fuck me, for fuck’s sake.’

‘So rude,’ Flint whispers into his ear, his voice low and rumbling, sending shivers down Silver’s spine. He finally starts to fuck Silver properly. ‘I should teach you where your place is.’ Silver gasps, grabbing onto the bedsheets. ‘Put a collar around that pretty neck of yours...’

Silver grunts disapprovingly. ‘Don’t you dare try to make this into something… _suggestive_.’

Flint presses a kiss to Silver’s ear. ‘Only if you’re interested.’

‘You’re ridiculous.’  

‘You’re one to talk.’

‘I am only interested in one thing right now and that thing is currently exactly where I want it to be.’ Silver lifts his hips, pressing back against Flint to illustrate his point.

Flint grunts. ‘And here I was thinking you liked me for my personality,’ he says, an amused tone in his voice.

‘Oh, but I _do_. Because you are so –’ Silver’s sentence breaks on a moan as Flint draws back and then pushes back into him.

‘– _cocky,_ ’ Silver finishes.

Flint bursts out laughing on top of Silver, his full weight pressing down on him. Silver laughs with him, lying sandwiched between Flint’s body and the bed. They are one big bundle of skin and warmth and laughter.

It’s new – laughing like this while having sex. It somehow feels more intimate than anything they have ever done before.

It is somehow the best thing that Silver never knew existed.

 

 **III. Toes** *

(* set somewhere in a post season 4 fix-it au)

‘You have cute toes.’

The words slip from James’ mouth before he has even realised he was thinking them.

They are sitting across from each other on the sofa, him and Silver. They have just taken a bath and it has made them feel reborn. Night has started to fall outside and they are currently enjoying the warmth of the hearth fire.

Madi and Thomas have gone out for the evening, to attend the town council meeting. They always promise to be back before dark, but they never actually do because they are physically unable to leave a place where they feel they haven’t made their argument convincingly enough yet. In that way, they really bring out the worst in each other.

James and Silver are shirtless, only wearing their breeches. Silver’s hair is still damp from the bath. It looks shiny in the light of the fire. James has let his hair grow out some since his pirating days, but it still dries much quicker than the heavy mop of curls on Silver’s head.

At some point Silver put his foot in James’ lap. James in response had started to massage it gently. He pressed his thumbs to the hollow of the arch, rubbed his fingers over the calloused pads. To his satisfaction, Silver had slowly sagged back into the cushions behind him, breathing softly.

James’ words, however, have made Silver alert again.  

Silver snorts. ‘Too bad I only have five left. I’m only half as cute as I used to be.’ He wriggles his toes, then looks up at James with a teasing smirk. ‘You picked the wrong guy for your foot fetish.’

James lets out an irritated sigh. If Silver would just shut up for a moment and let them have a moment of peace.

Silver leans forward, bringing their faces closer together. James’ eyes go back and forth between his blue eyes and his pink parted lips, curved into a smile.

‘Has anyone ever called you cute?’

There are many terms that people have used in the past to describe James – the worst of them were _mad, tyrannical, loathsome, delusional._ The best of them were things that Thomas has called him: _beautiful, smart, gorgeous,_ and _lovely_. But _cute_?

‘I don’t think so,’ he says, avoiding Silver’s gaze. ‘For some reason, most people prefer terms like “tyrannical” or “mad” to describe me.’ He shrugs. ‘Can’t imagine why.’

He looks up at Silver, who is smiling. He cups James’ cheek and shortly presses his lips to James’. ‘You’re cute,’ he whispers.

James’ heart flutters. ‘Thank you,’ he mumbles.

Silver, being the shit he is, has to ruin it by making a lame joke, of course.

‘Foot fetish. Likes being called “cute”,’ Silver says in a considering tone, as if speaking to himself. He looks at James intently for a moment, then lets himself fall back into the cushions. ‘You’re not my Captain,’ he says, with a big, silly grin on his face. ‘I don’t know you. Please leave and come back when you have returned to your normal self.’

James bites his tongue. Even though it has been years since they last stood on the deck of a ship, Silver won’t stop calling him ‘Captain’. At first it annoyed James, because it reminded him of a time he would often prefer to forget. The title presumes a certain distance between them. Now, he supposes it is the closest they will ever get to using terms of endearment.

‘Well, I don’t know you either, so that makes us even,’ James says, smiling. He only means to tease, but the words sound harsh once they leave his mouth.

He sees the look on Silver’s face change and realises too late that he has gone too far.  

‘I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant,’ he says quickly.

‘It’s fine. You’re right, after all,’ Silver says flatly. ‘You don’t know my past so you don’t really know me.’ He looks directly into James’ eyes, yet James feels like he is not really seeing Silver. He sees a stone-cold mask, as Silver tries to feign indifference.

They sit in silence for a couple of minutes. There is only the crackling sound of the wood burning in the fireplace. James, in his mind, desperately scrambles for words that will explain himself to Silver.  

Silver’s foot still lies in James’ lap. James still has his hands wrapped around it, frozen in place.

‘I don’t need to know the details of your past,’ James says softly. ‘During the time that we have been together, I have come to know many things about you. The things that drive you, the things that scare you. Your strengths, your weaknesses. Your humour and intelligence. How you like your tea, what your favourite food is, how ridiculous your hair looks in the morning,’ – Silver snorts at that – ‘the little gestures you make when you are flirting, or when you are uncomfortable, the way you furrow your brows when you are too stubborn to ask for help with something…’

Silver’s expression remains blank as he listens to James’ words – but he is listening.

‘Whether you like it or not,’ James continues, ‘whether you have shown me these things deliberately or not – I know you.’

James hopes that Silver understands. Maybe this is not something that a man who doesn’t want to be known by anyone wants to hear. But, if anything, it is the truth.

‘And what do you think of the man you know?’ Silver asks quietly. The tone of his voice does not betray any emotion.

Their relationship is one of giving and taking. Spaces that are left hollow by one are filled up by the other. This is how they function. James reaches out to Silver when Silver withdraws. When James sinks to the bottom of the ocean, Silver pulls him back up. So, when Silver closes himself off, all James wants to do is open up. Like he needs to do it for both of them. He needs to share his heart in order to keep them both alive.  

And that is why he says,

‘I love you.’

James has to use all his strength to keep looking at Silver, as averting his eyes would betray his nervousness.

Silver looks back at him. Seconds pass by.

James has always been braver than him when it comes to these things. Silver only thinks them, leaves the words on the tip of his tongue. James opens his heart to Silver, no matter the consequences. That’s the kind of man he is – one who loves shamelessly and fearlessly. _Almost_ fearlessly.

James clears his throat. ‘I don’t expect you to…You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted to say it.’

James doesn’t expect Silver to reply, to be happy about it, to say it back. It is enough for James. Always enough, just like it is. James wouldn’t even be surprised if Silver got mad at him for saying this, or if he would laugh at James for being a soft old man. It’s fine, it’s all fine. Because it is the truth. James loves Silver.

James can’t remember Silver ever having been quiet for this long. He even mumbles in his sleep. But now, he is silent. Dumbstruck.

Finally, Silver snorts. ‘Idiot,’ he says, but there is tenderness in his voice. ‘God, you’re terrible.’

James just smiles at the curses being thrown at him. Silver’s eyes shine wetly in the light of the fire, a strange curve to his brows. For a moment James thinks that –  

Silver quickly throws his arm over his face so James can’t see him. What he does see, is Silver taking a deep, shuddering breath.  

Something twists in James’ gut. He gently rubs his thumbs over Silver’s foot, to sort of comfort him, while he sits there awkwardly, unsure what to do.

‘I think –, I might –’ Silver mumbles from under his arm. ‘No, I _know –_ ’

‘It’s alright,’ James says. ‘I told you, it’s alright.’

‘I love you too,’ Silver blurts out. He moves his arm away and looks at James. ‘I love you. I love you. I love you. I –’ he chokes up.

James stares at Silver with big eyes. This is ridiculous. This is unreal. Silver lying there, tears in his eyes, telling James he loves him.

‘ _Christ_ , James, I love you,’ Silver says, his voice unsteady but his words sure. ‘I love you. I love you. I love you’ Silver keeps saying, and every single time is like air filling James’ lungs, blood streaming through his veins, purpose for his heart.

James leans forward, and Silver wraps his arms around his shoulders.

 _I love you,_ Silver says, and James kisses Silver’s furrowed brow.

 _I love you,_ Silver says, and James kisses the little freckles on the bridge of his nose.

 _I love you,_ Silver says, and James kisses his cheeks, wet with tears.

 _I love you,_ Silver says, and James kisses his lips, because he needs to taste the words on Silver’s tongue.

Silver whimpers into his mouth. His arms slide from James’ shoulders and he cups James’ face with both hands.

When James pulls back, he looks at Silver. He looks completely exhausted. But good – sated, sort of.

James is smiling so widely his cheeks hurt.

‘There is one thing I am still dying to know about you, though.’

Silver gives him a wary look.

James looks at him from under his brow with big, innocent eyes. ‘Are you ticklish?’

Silver’s face lights up. Before he can say anything, James reaches back and wraps his hand tightly around Silver’s ankle. He brushes the fingers of his other hand over the sole of Silver’s foot with a feather-light touch.

Silver yelps and tries to pull his leg back but it’s no use against James’ grip. ‘Stop,’ he cries out, laughing.

Silver shoots forward and digs his fingers into James’ sides. James lets out a sharp gasp in surprise. He instinctively pulls his arms back, pressing them close his body to ward off the attack. Silver sees his chance to get the upper hand.  

They both try to shout and say things but they are cut off by their own gasping and laughter. They are a mess of hands and elbows and knees and fingers poking and sticking everywhere. The room fills with their laughter and yelling. James struggles not to lose his balance and drop onto the floor.

Silver knocks himself into James’ chest and together they fall back down onto the sofa. James lands on his back, with Silver on top of him. They are both panting heavily, breathless from the tickle-fight. Silver is smiling, crinkles around his eyes from amusement and a soft pink blush over his cheeks. The light of the fire gives his skin a warm golden tone.  

‘You’re evil,’ Silver says.

James shows him a toothy grin. ‘I liked it better when you called me “cute”.’

They kiss again, slowly and sweetly. Silver gives little pecks to the corner of James’ mouth, small licks of his tongue against James’ lips. It’s almost innocent. It still surprises James – the tenderness of which Silver is capable. They break apart and Silver lets his head rest on James’ chest, just under his chin. James wraps his arms around him and strokes a hand over Silver’s hair. He smells the soap Silver used for it. He can feel Silver’s breath on his skin as he lets out a deep sigh.

Silver is the clingiest person James has ever known. Silver would hate to admit it but he sticks to James like glue. When they lie in bed together, he presses himself to James’ body from head to toe. Or, sometimes in his sleep, he throws his arms over James and pulls him into some sort of death-grip that has James gasping for air.

When James is preparing food in the kitchen, Silver will come up behind him and press himself to James’ back, wrapping his arms around James’ waist. When James complains that he can’t continue cooking like this, Silver throws his crutch to the floor and says that now James has no choice but to keep standing there in Silver’s embrace, because he needs James to support him, a poor, helpless invalid. They both know this is a lie; Silver knows perfectly well how to get around the house on one leg.

When James is reading a book and Silver feels like he has gone without James’ attention for too long, he will simply throw himself into James’ lap, and demand that James continues reading just like that. Which is impossible because that mop of wild black curls is blocking James’ view on the page. On anything at all, for that matter.

When Thomas and Madi see how they act around each other they smile and roll their eyes. It must be quite funny for them to see two once terrifying pirates act like an old married couple. They don’t have to be jealous, however; there is enough cuddling happening among the four of them. It’s just that for some reason Silver has chosen James as the victim of his overly-affectionate nature. Maybe because James is strong enough to hold them both standing up straight when Silver leans into him with all his weight. Maybe because James pretends not to enjoy it, which allows Silver in turn to pretend he is only doing it to annoy James.

James thinks there is perhaps also something liberating about it for Silver – showing his soft side with another man. The world in which they live expects, even _demands_ of men to be harsh, violent, and rude. Softness of heart is regarded as a woman’s trait, and therefore a weakness. But between the two of them, there is no such judgment.  

James draws circles with his fingers on the naked skin between Silver’s shoulder blades. ‘You want to go to the bed?,' he asks.

‘Hmmm…not yet,’ Silver sighs. ‘Let’s just stay like this for a bit.’ And into the soft copper hairs covering James’ chest, right over his heart, he whispers: ‘I love you.’

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! <3  
> I'm @undiscovereduniverse on tumblr.


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